The Return of My Nemesis

I think it is really and truly spring now.

My beloved crab apple tree is leafing out which means its flower buds should be shortly  coming along. This also heralds the return of my nemesis, the tent caterpillar.

This morning as I was hustling Nate off to his ride i espied this tent in my tree. I didn't have time to deal with, what with three other kids having to be pushed out the door. But this afternoon I made time to deal with it and literally nip it in the bud. The offending tent was cut off alon with it's branch. I trimmed away the excess branch and triple bagged the whole mess with the final bag an old, but serviceable resealable plastic baggie. i tossed the lot into the trash and was happy to move.

Unfortunately I saw another tent higher up in the tree. It looks like I'll be vacuuming the tree in the near future.

Signs of Spring

Crocus, a photo by Teckelcar on Flickr.

At the end of February I saw this brave little crocus amongst the leaf litter in the front garden. It is one of the very few left of the massive planting I did not long after we got the house. Deer, mice, and bugs have taken their toll over the years. I should, and probably will, do another mass planting. I have always liked crocuses because they are low maintenance, come in pretty colors, and are the first flowers to bloom.

I almost missed them this year with all the snow we keep getting. My guess is the worst is over, February has always been the snowiest part of winter followed by one last gasp in March.

Dell and Daffodils, a photo by Teckelcar on Flickr.

Daffodils are always the next to bloom and this patch has been going strong for over a week. I finally remembered to bring a camera along today during the dog walk. Dell wasn't particularly impressed by the flowers, the neighbor's house was far more interesting. I however disagree with Mr. Dell. I think it is very interesting that this particular planting is one of the first to bloom every year. My best guess is this particular spot is very sheltered and gets quite a bit of sunlight. My daffodils reside in a rather shady spot and are about a week behind. They have been up for quite awhile and not until this morning have I see any flower buds.

daffodils, a photo by Teckelcar on Flickr.

Speaking of which...

This afternoon I found flowering daffodils in own yard. It is amazing how an 80 degree day can hurry along plants. I thought I would see blooms tomorrow, not this afternoon. Spring is definitely on its way.

A Quiet Place

National Gallery, a photo by Teckelcar on Flickr.

I think one of my favorite places on Friday was this quite little garden just to the side of the main entrance to then National Gallery.

It was cool and shady with comfortable benches facing the fountain. Max and I relaxed there after all the activity and walking in the Museum of Natural History. The National Sculpture Garden between the two was nice, but this spot was a better place to rest.

End of Season

End of Season, a photo by Teckelcar on Flickr.

There has been a bit of snap in the morning air the past week or so. For a brief bit we had some honest to goodness fall weather, however the temperatures have been steadily creeping up. But the damage has been done.

My tomatoes have that leggy and unkempt look that the tail end of the growing season brings. They are, obviously, still producing fruit and we are nowhere near the first frost. The fruit is still very flavorful and tempting as ever. An aspect that was much to my consternation yesterday whilst I was fasting for Yom Kippur.

I'll keep on watering and enjoying the fruits of my labors until the first frost. Miserable as these plants look, they still have a goodly amount of life in them.

Cold Blossom

cold blossum, a photo by Teckelcar on Flickr.

My poor beleaguered daffodils, they don't know what hit them this week.

Sunday we had our big snowstorm that buried them in four and half inches of very wet snow. Some blossoms were knocked flat to the ground and all of them were tightly furled. The one here was pictured at just the start of the snow fall, the rain was just transitioning over to a more frozen form. You can just make out the crystals of ice in and amongst the water droplets.

Today the temperatures spiked all the way to 83. No that's not a typo, it was Eighty Three freak'n degrees outside. So of course we had a huge blow of a thunderstorm whip through tossing all the trees. Now the temps have dropped to 48 and the stars are out in their full brilliance.

This winter has been unbelievable.

MCP Project 52: Crave

sun gold, a photo by Teckelcar on Flickr.

This week's theme was Crave, which was easy since both Rebecca and I crave sun gold tomatoes and fortuitously our first plants produced their first ripe tomatoes this week.

This week our plants have been producing ripe tomatoes like mad. Every day we have been able pluck a few from the vine, sun warmed and oh so sweet.

The sun gold is hands down our favorite variety. The three plants we have will steadily produce all summer. The bounty only coming to an end late fall with the first serious frost.

MCP Project 52: Spring Fever

Sungold Morning
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

This week's theme is spring fever, which hit here quite a while ago. Now it's more dreading summer and the impending 90 plus temps.

However we have had a bit of a reprieve lately with some gorgeous mild weather amongst the endless rain. Weather I'm very thankful for after our downstairs air conditioning unit went belly up. I've been dreading the moment, which was long over due since the unit turned out to be 24 years old and qualifies it as older than dirt. So with the actual spring weather we have been able to take our time in pricing systems and get the whole shebang replaced before the warm weather hits again next week.

Anyhoodle, for me spring fever hits when it's time for me to set out my teeny tiny deck garden. All I grow are Sungold cherry tomatoes, basil, chives and some sort of slicing tomato. A couple of weeks ago I got my tomato plants and here they are, full of flowers. I can't wait for the deliciousness that will soon follow.

Lavender Living

Lavender Living
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

I've been meaning to take a picture of this house for years.And not just anytime of year, oh no it had to be in springtime when the red bud trees and the weeping cherry are in bloom. And as you can see here I got my shot.

And you may ask yourself why was it necessary to take a picture now.

Well it's because this time of year you can see how weeping cherry's blossoms almost match the color of the house. You can almost see for yourself in this picture. The cherry tree is on the far, far right hand side and tucked near the red buds.

Raining Blossoms

blossoms
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

Lately we have gotten quite a bit of rain, to the extent that it is causing some of my plants to droop from the water trapped upon them. In fact I have one crape myrtle that is so overloaded by raindrops and blossoms that it is forming a tunnel. I decided to give it a good shaking to relieve the branches of their excess weight.

As I shook the branches I was treated to a shower of water and flowers. I thought the fallen blooms were so pretty I had to go back inside for my camera.

Sunday in the Park

Cousins in the garden
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

With some cousins.

I can't believe it has only been a week since I took this picture. We had a little get together last Sunday with some of Larry's extended family. Spouses and children were welcome to attend.

Larry's mom organized the whole shebang, from scouting out an idyllic spot at the park to ordering sandwiches from the local deli. She was able to corral up Larry's brother, her brother and his wife, three cousins and their respective children. It was the first time that our kids have gotten to see some of their second cousins.

The picnic was a huge hit. After the initial shyness wore off the kids all had a great time. Larry and Nate taught some of the littles how to play lacrosse, Rebecca went exploring with Abby and Alex, and Max and Jake just plain had fun with all the other kids. We completely lucked out on the weather. The rain held off until we got back to my in-laws' condo. Then it was time for ice cream and playtime with grandma's toys.

I know we had a wonderful time reconnecting with family and our kids are hoping that we will do this again next year.

Bountiful Basil

bountiful basil
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

Or the lazy gardener.

I'm not much for gardening, especially because we have very bold deer in our backyard that can and will eat everything. The only safe place is up on our deck. I have a few large pots with assorted plants that I barely care for.

Which works well for my basil and chives. They go to seed and come back year after year. I even had my tomatoes come back the past two growing seasons, but sadly not this year. I even have a couple of flowers that come back every year, a nice purplish blue balloon flower and the moss rose from Jake's bar mitzvah.

The moss rose was a pleasant surprise this spring. It was clearly marked as an annual and after this winters cold temperatures I did not expect to see it again. It has just started to bloom and I'll take a few pictures sometime soon.

Signs of Spring

Crocus
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

Since last week my friends and I have noticed a few brave daffodils in bloom along our morning walk. It has just been a handful of blossums along the more protected stretch of road. For whatever reason at the farthest point of our walk the street seems just a touch warmer, maybe it is a bit more protected from the wind, I have no idea.

Today we lamented the fact that nothing was in bloom around our respective homes. The shoots are up, but there are no signs of the cheerful yellow flowers.

Then this afternoon I spotted just the tiniest splash of yellow along side our driveway. A wee little crocus had managed to survive the predations of deer, mice and squirrels. I had put in a boatload a few years ago, but they had been quickly eaten up.

Except of this one.

It had somehow eluded the fate of all the other crocuses I had planted. I'm so glad I had spotted it today.

The Bloom is Not Yet Off the Rose

Moss Rose
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

Or rather the moss rose.

I bought this plant way back in June for Jake's Bar Mitzvah. I loved the colors and as an added bonus it was labeled "water wise."

And boy they were not kidding.

I think I only watered them two, maybe three times this summer. They just kept on blooming. The plants are starting to look a bit seedy now and the blooms aren't nearly as profuse, but I certainly got my money's worth.

It will be interesting to see how they fair this winter. I'm hoping for the best, but I won't be surprised if they go belly up. Either way, I'm buying these again.

A Bit of Rain

wildflower
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

Yesterday we had our sprinkler system resurrected. It has been off all year because honestly I've been too busy. Normally I just flip the system on in late spring, but I knew I had a bunch of bum sprinkler heads and it has been fairly cool and damp.

So I waited.

Then summer hit in all its glory last week and it was time to start up the system. The sprinkler dudes came out yesterday and it turned out I had ten sprinkler heads that were just not up to snuff. The one I liked the most had a blade of grass poking out of the head. This morning the lawn got its scheduled soaking and then some. Mother nature decided she wasn't going to be one upped by a silly sprinkler system. We got a good soaking rain last night and this afternoon.

I stepped outside with my camera to see what I could find after the last storm passed by. I love how fresh everything looks with a a bit of rain and I was not disappointed. I found this little lovely down by our so-called creek (really it's just a glorified drainage ditch).

In Praise of the Moss Rose

centerpieces
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

Remember these plants from way back in June?

These were the centerpieces from Jake's Bar Mitzvah. Here is brief rundown on their story.

I decided that I would make the centerpieces, Jake wanted living plants and it would save a bit of money that we could then redirect towards food. All in all a good decision.

Jake was fairly easy to please, he likes the colors orange, yellow and blue. Fortunately those are colors that are not too hard to find and they look pretty good together. I picked out vinca for the blue and Meryl and I found two candidates for the yellow and orange; lantana and moss rose.

moss rose
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

Unfortunately it turned out that the lantana was not the best choice, Meryl had a very nasty reaction to it. But the moss rose, oh what a wonderful plant it turned out to be.

The tag on the plants said it was water wise and they were not kidding. After the Bar Mitzvah I repotted the remainders in my deck boxes and promptly ignored them and they have thrived under some very challenging conditions.

I think I have watered them two *maybe* three times and they keep on blooming. They look as good as they did on the day I bought them which is utterly amazing to me.

Garden Update

deck garden
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

It has been hot and very, very wet around here and my little freebie container garden has been chugging along.

The self-seeding basil has been growing like crazy. It completely fills one pot and is surrounding my three tomatoes in the other. And yes, that's right, three tomato plants. It turns out I have not just two, three of them.

Judging by their flowers it looks like two are of the Sungold cherry variety (interestingly enough it is not supposed to self seed, but my garden says otherwise) and the third is a slicing tomato. I won't really know until they set fruit.

baby tomato
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

And judging by how they are doing, it looks like that will be fairly soon.

Rebecca was very excited to report the other day that we have two baby tomatoes. Which is amazing since I have yet to water the dang things.

I love my little free garden.

And I really love the yummy things it produces.

Container Garden Update

First off it turns out we have not two, but three tomato plants.

We officially have a boatload of basil. I need to start making my own pesto sauce.

And last, but not least, Rebecca joyfully informed me yesterday that we have several flowers on our tomato plants. I tried taking a picture of them, but none of them came out. The flowers must be two small for my camera to focus on. I might have to bust out my big old fashioned film SLR camera.

Accidental Garden

tomato
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

I am at best a laissez-faire gardener. I just let things poke along until I feel that I absolutely must do something. I'm pretty good about watering my little container garden, but that's really it. At the end of the growing season I ignore my two big pots until well after the first killing frost. I then uproot the dried out remains of my tomato plants and basil and heave them off the deck. If I feel particularly ambitious I clear out the excess leaves during the last sweep of the deck at the end of fall.

And so my pots sit there on the deck all winter long.

Come spring I *might* remove a few more leaves and acorns, but again I really do nothing. Around May I start thinking about growing more basil and tomatoes, I'll then go out and inspect the pots.

And lo what did I find in my pots?

Two wee little tomato plants had sprouted along with a large amount of basil!

basil
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

My best guess is that our cherry tomato plant, the one that had self seeded last year, had again repeated the miracle of sprouting anew from last years missed tomatoes. My basil plant had gone to seed in a rather spectacular fashion last year so I wasn't nearly as surprised by the seedlings.

Now all I have to do is transplant the little buggers and buy a couple of slicing tomato plants.

In love with Peonies

Peony
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

My peonies are in bloom and that makes me so very happy. I love their big, overblown and blowsy look. With one bloom you practically have an arrangement.

I essentially gave the florist at our wedding carte blanche. All I wanted was lilacs and whatever was in season, the rest was up to them. I had worked for them a few summers earlier and I knew what beautiful things they could do.

And oh the flowers we got! Little sweetheart roses of the palest pink were tucked in the the lilacs (from one of the florists backyards!) in my bouquet. The table arrangements featured big beautiful peonies along with the lilacs in simple glass vases. It was all very simple and simply gorgeous.

First Blooms

first bloom 09
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

We have been watching the daffodils the past few weeks.

First the tiny green shoots thrusting their way out of the leaf litter, then the swelling of the new buds.

Today Rebecca saw something new.

This morning we were walking to the bus stop and we saw a bright splash of yellow amongst the brown and green.

Our first bloom of the season.

The official start of spring is three weeks off, but here in Virginia it is starting.

almost there
Originally uploaded by Teckelcar

I put in these bulbs eight, maybe nine years ago. I know it was soon after we moved in after we had gone one full year so I could see what needed to be added. It was just a cheap bag of a hundred bulbs, contractor grade if I recall correctly. But they keep coming back and brightening up my day.